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FEMA Funds Moved to ICE; Lawmaker Criticizes Trump Admin.

The Trump administration is facing criticism for moving nearly $10 million from the budget of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help fund border enforcement. FEMA chief Brock Long said the funds given to ICE were for administrative purposes, not for disaster relief. (Published Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018)

As Hurricane Florence threatened the U.S. East Coast with devastating storm surge and damaging winds, documents made public Tuesday showed that the Trump administration had recently moved nearly $10 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to the agency tasked with detaining and deporting undocumented immigrants.

DHS confirmed to “The Rachel Maddow Show” that the transfers were made, and a department spokesperson claimed “the money did not come from any of our disaster response and recovery efforts.” DHS said the account supports FEMA headquarters operational expenses and cannot be used for disaster response. It came in under budget for expenses including travel, training and office supplies and money was moved.

However, the documents show that millions of dollars were removed from FEMA’s budget for “Response and Recovery.”

Transferring money between agencies is not out of the ordinary and within the authority for the administration. According to Sen. Patrick Leahy's office, Homeland Security notified Congress on June 30 that it would transfer $200 million from other agencies to ICE, including the funds from FEMA. Leahy, a Democrat who is vice chairman of the Appropriations Committee, said the transfer was approved by the subcommittee chairs and no Democrats signed off on it, the Associated Press reported.

But it is unusual, Merkley said, to see millions of dollars being taken from FEMA at the beginning of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June through November.

“I find it extraordinary,” Merkley told Maddow.

DHS spokesperson Tyler Houlton further defended the department's actions on Twitter Wednesday, writing, "Under no circumstances was any disaster relief funding transferred from @fema to immigration enforcement efforts. This is a sorry attempt to push a false agenda at a time when the administration is focused on assisting millions on the East Coast facing a catastrophic disaster. ... DHS/FEMA stand fiscally and operationally ready to support current and future response and recovery needs."

Trump Shutdown Proposal Said to Be a 'Non-Starter'

Democratic leaders and even some Republicans say they can't support President Donald Trump's offer to extend limited protections to undocumented immigrants in exchange for border wall funding and an end to the government shutdown.